14 days after the release of Australia's National Autism ¾-Strategy (NA¾S ), the Government released its 2024 update to Australia's Disability Strategy 2021-31 (ADS).
In respect of the ADS, the NA¾S said:
The Evaluation Good Practice Guide Checklist developed under ADS will underpin the approach to [NA¾S] evaluation activities.
and
Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-31
Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-31 (ADS) is Australia’s national disability policy framework. It drives action at all levels of government to improve the lives of people with disability. ADS’s vision is for an inclusive Australian society that ensures people with disability can fulfil their potential, as equal members of the community.
The National Autism Strategy will sit alongside ADS and aims to make ADS vision a reality for Autistic people.
and a few more platitudes.
However, the updated ASD makes just one passing reference to autism in the whole document.
The government created its NA¾S after the Senate Autism Inquiry recognised that ADS failed autistic Australians. Despite the release of the NA¾S, autistic Australians are still missing from Australia's Disability Strategy Update.
In October 2024, the Australian Bureau of Statistic published its latest data on autistic Australians. Its report say a lot. In particular, they say that 73% of Australians identified as autistic have severe and profound core limitation whether or not their "autism" diagnosis is accurate. They get their diagnosis because of their impairment; their diagnosis does not cause their impairment. The Australian government must appreciate that their impairment needs to be addressed no matter what label it is given.
While the NA¾S was a major missed opportunity (see here and here), the subsequent omission of autism from the ADS 2024 Update shows clearly how far government has yet to go towards recognising its autism challenge.
Australia's government misses all its opportunities to improve outcomes for Autistic Australians. The Australian government need a distinct Disability Department and cabinet minister - see DRC Recommendation 5.6.